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Should Bellingham wants to fight his way back into England’s best squad, the smart move to eliminate the dramatics. His response when he saw that he was being shown following a night of mixed performance in the match against Albania was not good enough.

"I don’t want to make more out of it but I stand by my words 'behaviour is key' and respect towards the teammates who enter the game," commented the coach. "Decisions are made and you must accept them as a player."

There is a lesson for Bellingham. There was no need for a tantrum. Harry Kane had just put England 2-0 up in an inconsequential fixture, there were six minutes left and the player, who had not played particularly well, received a caution for bringing down the Albanian striker. It was not a controversial substitution. In fact it might have been reckless for the head coach to leave Bellingham on given that there was a risk he would make himself ineligible of the opening game of the World Cup by picking up a second caution.

Turning the Spotlight to Himself

Yet Bellingham made himself the center of attention. No one could overlook the player's frustration upon understanding that he would be substituted for another player. His arms went up in exasperation and while he accepted the coach's hand after making his way to the bench it was obvious that Tuchel was not impressed.

Here lies the test that Bellingham must overcome. He applauded Marcus Rashford for delivering the cross for Kane to nod home his second of the night, but his other actions was counterproductive. There was no chance complaining was going to reverse the substitution. The German has talked so much about honoring the team structure and the necessity of behaving correctly.

In the Spotlight

The midfielder, not included in the previous squad, is being watched carefully upon his return to the team recently. In effect he was being assessed and he hasn't helped his case by reacting to his substitution as England rounded off a ideal group stage by seeing off a feisty challenge from Albania.

The System and the Setup

As a result the jury is out on whether England operate most effectively when Bellingham plays. The evidence here was not definitive. Some new ideas were tested from the manager early on. Under him, England have gained the team organization and direction over the past few matches, using a No 6, a No 8, an attacking midfielder and dedicated wide players, but it felt different versus Albania. The young defender was given his first cap, Wharton started for the first time at this level and the role of Stones as an auxiliary midfielder created a faint echo to the Manchester club's 2023 treble winners.

Inconsistent Display

Bellingham was a mixed bag. He created an opportunity for his teammate during the second half but frequently appeared trying too hard. There were a lot of rushed, misplaced passes. A pointless clash with a rival player at the beginning. England's play was messy for much of the second half. An opportunity for Albania resulted from he lost the ball cheaply. The yellow card came after he was dispossessed to Broja and brought down the former Chelsea striker.

Depth Makes the Difference

Finally the squad's strength made the difference. Tuchel threw on the Manchester City player, who looked more naturally fitted to the role occupied by Bellingham in the opening period, and Bukayo Saka. Later Saka provided a corner for Harry Kane to break the deadlock. It highlighted that set pieces are going to be vital at the World Cup.

Connection Remains

However, all talk was about Bellingham. The excellence of Rashford’s assist for Kane's goal was a little lost in the ridiculousness of the player change. At the end, the focus was on Bellingham. Tuchel came over from behind and pushed the player towards the English fans. The bond between them is not damaged. Tuchel hasn't decided to give up on him at this stage. However, whether the coach is prepared to grant him the central position is still uncertain.